§ Q5. Sir C. Osborneasked the Prime Minister if he will make arrangements for Mr. Kosygin to address Members of both Houses of Parliament during his visit to this country, and request him to explain the Soviet Government's policy towards Vietnam, China, the United States of America and Great Britain.
§ The Prime MinisterThis is the 42nd.
I certainly hope that there will be an opportunity for hon. Members to meet and exchange views with Mr. Kosygin, but I cannot forecast the form this will take.
§ Sir C. OsborneIn view of the fact that both General Smuts and Sir Robert Menzies addressed both House of Parliament from the Royal Gallery during the war, and as both General de Gaulle and U Thant have performed a similar service in recent years, will the right hon. Gentleman try to make arrangements so that both Houses are able to hear Mr. Kosygin?
§ The Prime MinisterI have great sympathy with that suggestion, and I know the deep interest which the hon. Gentleman has in these questions, as well as his own contacts, in furtherance of better Anglo-Soviet relations. We must be guided to some extent by Mr. Kosygin's wishes in this matter, and I hope to make a statement when I know what his wishes are.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIn making these arrangements, would my right hon. Friend bear in mind that the last Soviet Prime Minister was not allowed to go further North than Birmingham? Will my right hon. Friend therefore consider arranging for Mr. Kosygin to visit Scot land?
§ The Prime MinisterBefore he became Prime Minister, Mr. Kosygin made an exhaustive and exhausting tour of industrial areas in Britain. I have left 1569 it to him to decide whether to go out of London for a day or two to see things of interest to him, but I gather that he would prefer to devote the whole of his time here to discussion.